Have you heard about SeaQuest? I hadn’t, myself, until recently when my mother-in-law requested a trip out to Folsom. “Doesn’t this look awesome?” she asked… and I had to admit, it totally did. Sort of like an aquarium, but with an interactive component, SeaQuest allows kids (and adults) to actually feed the animals on display. So, on a rainy Sunday morning, we piled into our beloved Subaru and drove up to Folsom.
About SeaQuest
Walking through the doors to SeaQuest in Folsom… I was worried we had been scammed. It seemed like a modest attempt at a real zoo. The first room of animal exhibits had a few fenced off areas with critters like a crested porcupine and parakeets, but the feel of the place was sort of under-whelming. However, as we progressed through the exhibits, the magic of the place began to reveal itself. The kids were all able to get up close and view the animals. They were able to hand feed things that they had barely ever even seen. It was pretty cool.
SeaQuest describes itself as the “ultimate land and sea adventure.” They provide a venue for kids (and adults) to interact intimately with animals from all types of environments… from manta rays to toucans to sloths. It turned out to be a very memorable trip for everyone.
General admission gets you into SeaQuest and allows you to view the exhibits. You have to buy tokens to do anything more. There is a private area for events such as birthday parties or field trips if your kid is super into animals. A few vending machine snacks were available, but the location of SeaQuest Folsom puts it within immediate walking distance of several restaurants for before or after your trip.
SeaQuest Folsom is an entirely indoor facility. We went on a late Saturday morning and it was busy… but not so busy that you couldn’t walk around. There was definitely a line trying to get our pre-purchased tickets scanned. According to the employee behind the counter, this was due to a recent system upgrade. Hopefully they have stream-lined the process.
Parking
Parking always gives me a lot of anxiety, so I was excited to see that parking is super easy at this location. Located in the Palladio Shopping Center, which is essentially an open-air mall, there are lots of parking lots and parking structures. There is one such lot right behind SeaQuest. Even on a busy weekend, there were plenty of spaces available up close. If you are feeling brave, there are also some spots out front on a busy thoroughfare, if you are interested in fighting for them (Derek is, I am not).
Tokens
We bought admission tickets online ahead of time (there is a discount for purchasing online), but what I didn’t realize is you absolutely need tokens. For a trip to SeaQuest to be worth anything, you want to feed the animals and engage in animal encounters. Tokens can be used to accomplish both of these things.
There are token packages available for purchase at the ticket counter, with per token being cheaper the more you purchase at once. However, there is also a discount available if you purchase ahead of time online.
I recommend you buy a lot of tokens. No reason to go out to SeaQuest and not participate. And, you can always take your extra tokens home for next time.
Feed animals
As soon as you get past the ticket counter, you have the opportunity to start feeding animals. They separate the animals into different rooms to kind of corral the visitors. It was busy with a lot of people, but there was totally enough space to move around without feeling claustrophobic.
Most animal food is available out of dispensers, reminiscent of pizza parlor quarter machines. You pop a token in, turn the lever and a little bubble container comes out of the machine with the desired food in it.
There are lots of different kinds of animals you can feed using this method. There are marine animals such as manta rays and fish, reptiles like tortoises and lizards, as well as some mammals and birds. The rays were an especially big hit.
Animal Encounters
Beyond just feeding the animals on display, there are specific animal interactions, or animal encounters, that include a more up close and personal experience. This costs more than straight animal feeding, but it was worth it. You can use tokens to pay for your animal encounters, or schedule and pay ahead of time.
The girls elected to play with a pair of Bengal cats. An employee escorted them into an enclosed space with a back area where the cats could have some quiet time. They were provided with cat toys and interacted with the pair of felines up on a cat tower.
Big Bro went all in on the “Fishy Kisses” experience. I didn’t expect it. One minute we were walking past some fish tanks and the next he was sitting in the middle of the walk way pulling off his shoes. As soon as he saw someone with their feet in the tanks, he was in love. For this encounter, you place your feet in a fish tank full of little fish who “kiss your feet” as they feed on dead skin cells… kind of gross but memorable.
The lot of us also fed a toucan. Each person who entered was able to engage with the bird and give it a treat. It made for great pictures and memories.
There are a whole bunch of other encounters, some listed on the website and others that you can find out about once you’re on the premises. Just keep in mind that you sometimes need to schedule a time for certain encounters… there might be a waiting list. We about broke Big Bro’s heart when we told him he would have to wait fifteen minutes for the fishies and he might want to put his socks back on.
What I Would Do Differently
As this was our first time at SeaQuest, we felt like we should walk around and see what was available before we started investing our tokens… Don’t do this. There is only a certain amount of food loaded into the dispensers and when it runs out, they don’t immediately refill. I’m sure they have to regulate how much the animals eat in some way. Same goes for the animal encounters. The more people in there interacting and feeding those animals, the more full the animals are. Don’t wait to use your tokens… just start feeding animals!
SeaQuest Folsom was an excellent adventure for a rainy day. We created lots of one-of-a-kind memories… all while staying relatively dry (watch out for those ray splashes!). It intrigued our little and big kids alike as well as providing entertainment for the adults. It is an opportunity for unique experiences and an excellent option during inclement weather… cold rainy winter days or scorching hot summer ones.
Have you been to a SeaQuest location recently? We are interested to see how other locations compare!
I’d like to give a shout to SeaQuest, also, for providing teachers free admission. Have proof ready, like a CTA card, to be sure you’re given free entrance.